Senior Development Officer

In 2024, Wolfson College, University of Oxford will celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of its iconic North Oxford site with the completion of its award-winning Wolfson: Zero Carbon project, making the college the first HE institution in the UK to be truly zero-carbon emitting from its estate. At this exciting moment in the college’s history, we want to appoint a Senior Development Officer to play a leading role in delivering Wolfson’s fundraising objectives.

The Senior Development Officer will be responsible for sustaining and growing Wolfson’s philanthropic income by building relationships with alumni and others to solicit major gifts, stewarding current donors, and encouraging legacy giving. Major projects that the successful applicant will be involved in include the final stages of the Zero Carbon campaign, Wolfson’s new Sports and Wellbeing Centre, graduate scholarships, and student support.

The successful candidate will ideally have experience of fundraising in higher education or an equivalent field and will have been working in a role where trust, integrity, building relationships, and securing philanthropic support are vital.

The role is ideally suited to someone who is ambitious, motivated, and keen to work as part of a team, whether stepping up from a Development Officer or equivalent role or taking on a new challenge.

In 2021-22, Wolfson received more than £6m in grants and donations, placing it fourth among Oxford’s colleges and the highest among graduate colleges. This has made a major contribution to the college’s £16m Zero Carbon project, as well as to scholarships, bursaries, and student welfare. A recent campaign enabled Wolfson to give fellowships to two at-risk scholars, from Ukraine and Afghanistan. Wolfson’s Alumni & Development Office is responsible for the college’s relationship with more than 7,000 alumni, keeping them up-to-date with Wolfson life through publications and events.

Wolfson College is a great place to work. Founded as a graduate college in 1966, it is one of Oxford University’s largest and most international colleges, with an open and inclusive ethos. Wolfson is home to more than 700 students and nearly 100 postdocs from more than 70 countries. The college is located on the banks for the Cherwell in north Oxford, with a campus of Grade 2 listed buildings and open parkland.

The College has a reputation as an excellent employer. Staff enjoy 39 days’ annual leave allowance, a generous pension scheme, free lunch within allowance when on duty, free on-site parking, and an opportunity to become a Member of Common Room with gym membership, use of the college tennis and squash courts.

This is a full time post involving 36.5 hour week usually worked from Monday to Friday. The salary is in the range from £37,492 to £43,496 per annum. Normally the first increment in the range is offered, however a higher salary might be offered commensurate with the candidate’s skills and experience.

We encourage applicants from all sectors of the community and are especially keen to encourage candidates from under-represented groups to apply.

For further particulars and information how to apply please visit the College’s vacancies page: https://www.wolfson.ox.ac.uk/vacancies.

The closing date for applications is midday on Monday, 17 April 2023. Interviews will take place in the week commencing 1 May 2023.

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